Choosing the right trees

Use the tables below to help choose the right tree for your situation.

Soil moisture condition

Soil texture

 

Sandy (Coarse)
At least two-thirds

sand

Loamy (Medium)

Clayey (Fine)
At least one-third clay

 

Wet

• Willow

• Cottonwood

• Tamarack

• Willow

• Cottonwood

• Black ash

• White cedar

• Balsam fir

• Willow

• Cottonwood

 

Moist

• Norway (red) pine

• White pine

• Black spruce

• White spruce

• Paper birch

• Yellow birch

• Red oak

• Black walnut

• Silver maple

• White cedar

• White spruce

• Paper birch

• Red oak

• White oak

• Balsam fir

Yellow birch

• Red oak

• Green ash

• Silver maple

• White spruce

• Paper birch

 

Moderately

dry

• Norway (red) pine

• Jack pine

• Bur oak

• Red oak

Yellow birch

• Green ash

• Red oak

White spruce

• Green ash

• Silver maple

Cottonwood

 

Dry

• Jack pine

• Bur oak

• Green ash

• Eastern red cedar

• Green ash

• Eastern red cedar

Shade Tolerance

Very tolerant
(will grow in shade)

• Balsam fir

• Sugar maple

Tolerant

• American basswood

• Black spruce

• Northern white cedar

Intermediate
(will grow in mixed sun and shade)

• White oak

• Bur oak

• Eastern white pine

• White ash

• Green ash

• Northern red oak

• Red maple

• Yellow birch

• White spruce

Intolerant

• Black ash

• Silver maple

• Black walnut

• Butternut

• Paper birch

• Norway (red) pine

Very intolerant
(needs full sunlight)

• Tamarack

• Poplar

• Eastern red cedar

• Jack pine

• Quaking aspen